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News

Regional Begins For Locke

May 16, 2007

Los Angeles, CA (May 16) - Loyola Marymount sophomore Brian Locke begins play in the 2007 NCAA West Regional with first round play on Thursday, May 17 at Arizona State's Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, Ariz. It is the second straight year Locke has made a trip to the NCAA regional. Follow Locke all weekend through Live stats at LMULions.com.

Locke finished the 2006-07 regular season with a 71.3 average, down a stroke from his average of 72.1 during his freshman season. He enters the regional as the top individual seed as the NCAA takes six at-large individuals from teams not represented in the three regionals. The top two individuals from the regionals will then advance to the NCAA Championship, help May 30 - June 2 in Williamsburg, Virg.

This year's regional will play on the par-72, 7,057-yard Karsten Golf Course. It is a links style layout, highlighted by lakes, mounds and pot bunkers. Strategy is key and precise shot making is critical, as many greens are partially hidden and well guarded by bunkers and water.

It was another record-setting campaign for the sophomore from Los Angeles, Calif. He finished the season at the West Coast Conference Player of the Year, his second straight honor. His win in the WCC Championships on April 17 made him the first repeat champion in WCC history. The WCC title was his fourth tournament win on the season and his sixth in his career. His four titles are the most in a single season by a Lion in school history.

Locke earned back-to-back titles with the Bill Cullum Intercollegiate win on Oct. 31 and then the Hawaii Fall Intercollegiate on Nov. 8. He posted a nine-under 207 at the Bill Cullum and then a 10-under 206 in Hawaii. He then went back-to-back again with a win at the Cal Poly Intercollegiate on Mar. 30 and the WCC title on Apr. 17. He posted a nine-under 209 at Cal Poly and then a one-under 215 at the WCCs.

In 2006, Locke finished the NCAA West Regional in Tucson, Ariz., in a tie for fifth place with a 10-under 206. He posted rounds of 70, 67 and 69 as he led the Lions to a sixth place overall finish as a team and their first trip to the NCAA Championships.

For his career, Locke has finished a tournament under par 11 times out of 22 events he has played in his two seasons at LMU. This season he has had 10 top-20 finishes with seven of those being in the top-five. He has 13 top-five finishes in his career with just under half being tournament wins.